Nobody who spent eight years filling a shelf with grey cartridges wanted to hear that a new console would turn it into decoration. It did not. Switch 2 has the same card slot shape, and the large majority of the old library runs on it. There are three tiers of “runs”, though, and they are easy to mix up.
Tier one: it just works
Most Switch 1 cartridges behave on Switch 2 exactly as they did before. You get the same resolution and the same frame-rate cap. Loading is often a little quicker, and games that used to dip below their target tend to hold it more steadily. Nintendo keeps a public compatibility list and has worked through the known problem titles with patches since launch, so if a game misbehaves, install the latest system and game updates before assuming it is broken.
A few things cannot work for physical reasons. Anything built around the original Joy-Con’s IR camera needs those controllers paired wirelessly, and the Labo VR goggles were moulded for the old console’s dimensions.
Tier two: free updates
A number of first-party games received free patches that take advantage of the new hardware, typically with higher resolution or a steadier frame rate, and sometimes GameShare support. These cost nothing and work with the cartridge you already own. You only need to download the update.
Tier three: Nintendo Switch 2 Editions
These are the paid ones. A Switch 2 Edition is the original game plus an upgrade that can include new content as well as technical improvements. There are two ways to get one:
- Upgrade pack. Keep your Switch 1 cartridge and buy the upgrade on the eShop. The old cart stays in the slot, and the upgrade lives on the console’s storage. Prices have varied by game, and a couple of the Zelda packs are included with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.
- Boxed Switch 2 Edition. A red cartridge, sold at a higher price than the original. For Nintendo’s own releases it has carried the base game and the upgrade together on the card.
Which should a collector buy?
If you already own the original, the upgrade pack is cheaper and your cartridge keeps its place on the shelf. Be aware of the trade-off: the upgrade half is a digital purchase tied to your account, so the complete experience no longer sits entirely on the cart.
If you are buying the game for the first time and care about having everything on the cartridge, the boxed Switch 2 Edition is the tidier object. Check the case first, because third parties do not always follow Nintendo’s lead, and some upgraded re-releases have been Game-Key Cards.
And if a game has no upgrade at all, which describes most of the library, there is nothing to decide. Put the cartridge in and play.